


Providence

by Kayim



Series: Providence (Lost AU) [1]
Category: Lost
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-11-17
Updated: 2009-11-17
Packaged: 2017-10-03 05:01:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kayim/pseuds/Kayim





	Providence

Providence was exactly the kind of mid-western town that Sawyer had been looking for - full of people with too much money and not enough things to spend it on. Climbing off the beautiful black mare he'd won from a cowboy in an extremely long and drawn-out poker match, he tied her up outside the saloon. Rutherford's was known for miles as being one of the most expensive places to drink, but it had the advantage of being the only place in town that offered rooms with private baths. And right now, a bath and a bottle of whiskey was all he wanted.

He pushed his way between the swing doors, pausing momentarily to allow himself to adjust to the overwhelming stench of stale alcohol that permeated the air. The saloon was surprisingly busy for this early on in the evening and he noticed the young man in the corner playing vaguely familiar tunes on an old piano. Spurs clicking, he strode towards the bar, purposefully ignoring the stares that greeted him. Fishing a coin from his pocket, he dropped it on the bar and waited for the bartender to turn around.

When the young man turned around, Sawyer's initial thought was that the kid was completely out of his depth. Fashionably long hair fell into his eyes as he fumbled the whiskey glass he was holding, grimacing as it smashed to the floor. When the kid shrugged an apology at him, Sawyer realized something more important about him. From the cut of his clothes and the perfectly clean fingernails, it was clear that this was someone who had money. And that was something that always interested Sawyer.

"Um, what can I get for you?" asked the kid, surreptitiously pushing the broken glass off to one side with his foot.

Sawyer smiled broadly as a plan started to form in his mind. "A glass of the cheapest whiskey you have," he replied. "And a job if you've got one going."

The kid looked at him, his head tilted slightly. "You new in town?"

"Just arrived today. Looking for a job and a place to stay for a bit. Settle down, y'might say."

"You know anything about tending a bar?"

"Used to own one a while back," explained Sawyer, not actually answering the question.

Holding a hand out to him, the kid introduced himself. "Boone Carlyle. I own this place."

Sawyer took his hand, shaking it. "James Ford. Your new bartender."

*

It hadn't taken long, he mused as he sat up in the bed, his arms folded behind his head. As soon as he had seen Shannon Rutherford, he knew exactly how to get what he wanted. He'd been working as the bartender at Rutherford's for less than a day when Shannon had first turned up. Step-sister of Boone, personality wise at least, she was his exact opposite -- bold, brash, confident and bossy. She was obviously the not-so-silent partner in the saloon. From the top of the stairs, she had shouted at Boone, berating him for some imagined wrong-doing, regardless of the other occupants of the bar.

She was dressed simply in a black dress -- still in mourning for their parents Boone had later explained -- but still managed to outshine any other woman he had seen in town. Her blond hair was loose in ringlets that fell softly onto her shoulders. Her eyes, highlighted by a small amount of eye makeup, appeared large and doe-like, adding an innocence to the confidence that radiated from her.

Charlie, the usually silent piano player, had stood next to Sawyer and muttered "There she goes again", proving what Sawyer had initially thought. Shannon believed herself too good to be stuck here. That was when the rest of his plan fell into place.

There were two things that Sawyer prided himself on being good at, and one of those was charming women. Shannon had been so desperate for attention that all it took was a few friendly words, followed by an offer to escort her to her room that night, and here he was.

She had been less confident once he got her into bed, but her slim figure made up for it as far as he was concerned. He was pretty sure her moans and groans would have been heard by everyone in the saloon, but his reputation was the last thing on his mind. Afterwards, almost ashamed, she had dashed out of the room into the private bathroom. He could hear the water splashing and allowed himself a few moments to recall the feel of her skin against his.

Back to work, he thought, as she walked back into the room. "Coming back to bed, sweetheart?" he asked her.

Almost shyly, she slipped back under the covers next to him, curling her body towards his as though craving his warmth.

"So, how come you and your brother ended up in this crappy town?"

"Step-brother," she corrected automatically. "When my father and his mother died, we both had to come back here and run this place. No choice really."

He made sympathetic noises. "I know how hard it is to run a place like this," he said, his voice deliberately soft.

She looked up at him, her eyes silently questioning him.

"I inherited a bar a little smaller than this one from my Pa before he died," he lied. "Ran it single-handedly for five years, 'til I decided to sell it. Best damn decision I ever made," he concluded.

"You sold it?" she asked. Sawyer could hear the interest in her voice and knew he had her hooked.

"Yeah," he drawled. "Just took the deeds and offered it to a guy I knew. Got more than three times what it was worth."

He let the possibilities sink in.

"Could you...? I mean... what if I ....?"

"You don't want to sell this place, do you, darlin'?"

Slowly, she nodded. "But I only own half of it," she confessed. "Boone owns the other half."

Sawyer kept quiet for a moment, thinking about the situation. "Well, if you had the paper deeds or something...."

She sat up straight in the bed, the covers falling down enough for Sawyer to appreciate the outline of her breasts beneath her nightgown. "They're at the bank," she said, excitedly, believing that this was her way out of the town.

"If you could get me the deeds," Sawyer replied, "I could take them to my friend. Get you the money and bring it back here."

"You'd do that for me?" she Shannon asked.

"For you, princess, I'd do anything."

When Shannon beamed at him, Sawyer knew he'd won.

*

There was only one other customer in the bank that morning when Shannon and Sawyer arrived - the town doctor, Jack Shephard, who was counting a small amount of gold coins into a bag further down along the counter.

"Good Morning, Miss Rutherford," the bank teller greeted her. "How can I help you this fine day?"

"Mr Gale," she replied with a polite nod of recognition. He was one of the Others -- those people who deemed themselves too good to live in the town. "I would like to withdraw the deeds for the saloon. I believe they are held here."

"Is there a problem with the deeds?" he asked, hesitant to release them to her. He had been aware of the death of Mr and Mrs Rutherford and had sworn to keep a close eye on the step-siblings when they arrived in town. He was the type of man who liked to keep abreast of events.

"Not at all," she smiled at him. "I am simply giving them to my friend here to be sold."

At this, the doctor turned around.

"Miss Rutherford, are you insane?" he asked, striding over to where she stood with Sawyer.

"Well, you would be the one to answer that, Doctor," she answered, giving a nervous giggle. The Doctor was a friend of Boone, but he had always intimidated her a little. "But I don't believe so."

"Then what on earth are you thinking? Wanting to hand over the deeds to a stranger. You are aware, I suppose, that as soon as you hand over the deeds, the ownership of the saloon transfers to this man?"

Shannon gasped in shock. "James?" she looked at him, as if expecting him to tell her it was a lie.

Sawyer simply shrugged and raised an eyebrow. "Can't blame a guy for trying," he said.

"Miss Rutherford," Jack ignored the man for the moment. "How about you go home now. We wont mention this to your brother, will we?" He grasped her arm firmly, easing her away from Sawyer.

Shannon cried out, bringing her hand to her mouth as she realized what could have happened. She spun on her heels and all but ran from the bank.

Jack and Sawyer stood facing each other. The doctor had met men like this before -- they called themselves "Confidence Men" or "Conmen". Arriving in a town like this one, they conned their way to money and women, getting everything they wanted with little or no effort. He didn't want to allow a parasite like this to continue in his town.

"You leave. Tonight."

Sawyer smiled. "Not going to happen, Doc. See, I kinda like this town. Think I'm gonna stay and settle down for a while."

Jack wished he could force the man to leave, but he wasn't the law and it wasn't as if the conman had actually done anything unlawful.

"Fine," he agreed. "But you don't run cons. Not in my town. Got it?"

Sawyer raised his fingers to his head, tipping them in a casual salute. Without another word, he turned his back on the doctor and walked out of the bank.

Jack gathered up his remaining coins and followed the other man into the street, determined to see he kept his word.

*

All but forgotten about, the teller walked to the door of the bank and flipped the small sign from "open" to "closed". He hurried to the back room of the bank and sat down at the small table. Pulling forward the telegraph machine, he tapped out a message.

FORD ARRIVED STOP AWAITING FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS STOP


End file.
